Screw cap applicator



Jan. 8, 1963 E. w. ELLEMAN SCREW CAP APPLICATOR Filed April 22, 1960 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EAQLE M LLEHA/Y A TTOf/YEY Jan. 8, 1963 E. w.ELLEMAN scam CAP APPLICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1960 IN VENTOR. [491.6 M 624014 Jan. 8, 1963 Filed April 22, 1960 E. w. ELLEMANSCREW CAP APPLICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. EAAPLE M LLEMA YUnited States Patent 3,071,909 SCREW CAP APPLICATOR Earle W. Elleman,Columbus, Ohio, assignor to Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, Lancaster,Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 22, 196%, Eaer. No. 23,936 11Claims. ((31. 53-315) The present invention relates to the sealing artand more particularly to a cap feed adapted to feed or apply rotary orscrew-type caps to the tops of containers.

Sealing machines are now being used to apply lug or threaded-type screwclosures to containers and particularly to food containers so that theconsumer will have the advantage of an easily removed and reappliedclosure cap. In sealing machines using lug or threaded-type closures toseal containers there are two principal operations. The first of theseis the initial feeding or application of a closure cap to the top ofeach of the filled containers with the cap properly positioned on thecontainer threads for the second operation where the cap issimultaneously rotated and pressed downwardly into final sealingengagement with the container.

In order for the final sealing operation to be satisfactorily performed,the caps must be horizontally placed on the container tops and the lugsor threads of the caps and containers must be aligned so that the finalsealing rotation results in a proper threaded connection. In addition,the leveling and positioning of the caps must be done at high speed tosatisfy mass production requirements.

The present invention provides an improved means for applying theclosure caps to the container threads with no damage to the caps andwith the caps properly positioned for the subsequent final sealingoperation. The cap feed of the present invention is. useful at highspeeds so that the highest speed of the final sealing mechanism may beachieved.

Accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcap feed for the application of threaded or screw-type closure caps tocontainer tops.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved capfeed for threaded or screw-type closure caps adapted for use with highspeed sealing machines.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cap feed adaptedto handle threaded or screw-type closure caps at high speeds with noscratching of the closure caps.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved capfeed for threaded or screw-type closures which prepares the closure capson the containers for the final sealing rotation by providing an initiallight fully controlled thread engaging rotation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide cap feeds forthreaded or screw-type closure caps which are readily interchangeable onthe sealing machine for dilierent closure sizes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a relativelysimple and rugged cap feed for threaded or screw-type closures whichprovides both a leveling and an initial thread-engaging twist of theclosure cap.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon anunderstanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described orwill be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages notreferred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employmentof the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings,forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the cap feed in accordance with.the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the cap feed of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the cap feed taken along line 3-3of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the cap feed taken along line 4-4of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the cap retaining detentmembers taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the cap feedin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the cap feed of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

The cap feed of the present invention is adapted to apply closure capsto filled containers being moved along a path by a generally horizontalconveyor as illustrated at 1 in FIG. 1. The conveyor 1 carries asuccession of filled containers 2 continuously beneath the cap feed 3.As the container 2 is moved beneath the cap feed 3 the top 4 of thecontanier 2 engages the cap 6 at the lower end of cap feeding channel 7in inclined cap chute 5. Continued movement of the container 2 draws thecap 6 out of the bottom of the chute 5 and into telescoping relationshipwith the top 4 of the container 2.

The position of the cap 6 in the bottom of the chute 5 and the transferof the cap 6 from the chute 5 to the top of the container 2 iscontrolled by the cap leveling plate 8. The cap leveling plate 8 ismounted on arm 9 by a pivotal connection 10 to the chute 5.

The closure 6 is held in its container engaging position in channel 7 ofchute 5 with its back portion resting on the spaced side rails 11 andwith the detent wheels 12 engaging the front of the closure skirt. Thefront of the closure 6 is supported at this point by the magnets 15 inthe cap leveling plate 8.

As the moving container 2 draws the cap 6 out of the end of the chute 5the pivotally mounted arms 16 for detent wheels 12 swing outwardly (FIG.5) against the force of the spring 17 permitting the cap 6 to slide intotelescoping relationship with the top 4 of container 2. The magnets 15now hold the closure 6 upwardly against the leveling plate 8 as theclosure 6 slides around the curved portion 18 of the leveling plate 8and onto the parallel slide rails 19 on the bottom of the leveling plate8. As the closure 6 passes beyond the magnetic attraction of the magnets15 it continues to be held against the surface 19 of plate 8 by thespaced magnets 20.

As is illustrated in FIG. 2, when the closure cap reaches the positionindicated by cap 21 it has been moved clear of the magnets 20 and atthis point the cap 21 drops downwardly in a horizontal position onto thetop of the container 2. Magnets 20 are spaced adjacent the edges of theleveling plate 8 so that they attract the outer edges of the caps 6.This causes the magnets 20 to release the caps 6 Without engaging therearward portions of the caps so that the released caps drop in a levelposition.

In order to feed the cover of the closure 6 smoothly down and beneaththe curved front 18 of the leveling plate 3 without scratching, apivotally mounted cap guide finger 22 (FIG. 3) is provided adjacent thelower end of the chute 5. The finger 22 is pivotally mounted at 24 witha curved cap engaging surface 25 disposed centrally of the lower end ofthe cap chute 5. The cap engaging surface 25 of the finger 22 is held inlight engagement with the cover 26 of the cap by spring 27 whichresiliently urges the finger 22 downwardly against the closure. Thelower position of the cap positioning surface 25 of the finger 22 is setby the adjusting screw 28.

.3 front 18 of the leveling plate S combine to form a curved cap guidewhich guides the caps onto the lower surface of leveling plate 8.

In order to control and'retard the movement of the lowermost caps in thechute and to minimize the pressure of the caps 6 against the detentwheels 12, a pair of spaced cap engaging rubber inserts 23 (FIGS. 2 and4) are provided on the curved edge 18 of the leveling plate 8 so thattheir lower surfaces engage the covers of the closures 6 as the closuresslide down the chute into their container engaging position against thedetent wheels 12.

The vertical position of the leveling plate 8 is set by the adjustingscrew 29 which engages the extension 30 of the plate mounting arm 9adjacent its pivotal mounting 10. An upward movement of the arm 9 and ofthe leveling plate 8 is provided by the rotation of the mounting arm 9about the pivot against the yieldable bias spring 31. This facilitatesthe initial engagement between the leveling plate 8 and the cap 6 andalso permits a self adjusting leveling action to be applied to the caps6 by the leveling plate 8 as the caps move along its lower surface.

The leveling plate 8 is also pivotally mounted at 32 on the arm 9 sothat the cap slide rails 19 may be positioned parallel to the conveyorand the container tops once the position of the arm 9 has been set. Thecooperating slot 33 and locking screw 34 hold the leveling plate 8 inthe desired position on arm 9.

The container 2 next moves beneath the cap threading plate 35. Asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6, the cap threading plate 35 has a containerengaging rail 36 which slidably engages one off-center portion of thecap cover and a correspondingly spaced off-center friction member 37adapted to retard the cap at an off-center position so that the cap isgiven a twisting force sutlicient to turn its lugs or threads into lightengagement with the container threads.

The preferred form of the friction member 37 comprises a series ofdownwardly projecting rubber or other resilient teeth 38 which aredisposed with a gradual downward slope so that a gradually increasingpressure and friction force is applied and so that the downward movementof the closure as it turns on the container is compensated for. In orderto permit the cap threading plate 35 to rise vertically as it engagesthe closure cap and to move downwardly as the cap is twisted, the plate35 is mounted on a pair of vertical posts 3? and 40. Post 39 is slidablymounted in a suitable channel 41 and post 40 is slidably mounted in theend slot 4-2. The lowermost position of the threading plate 35 is set byadjusting nuts 43 on the threaded top of the post 39.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the friction membe 37 on thethreading plate 35 is preferably mounted on a separate bracket 45 sothat the teeth 38 extend downwardly through an elongated slot 46. Theposition of the fritcion member 37 along the slot 46 is made adjustableby the provision of a plurality of mounting holes 47 one of which isused to fasten the bracket 45 onto the plate 35 by means of a mountingscrew 48.

The cap threading plate 35 is connected to the end of the leveling platemounting arm 9 by an adjustable swivel connection 56. The threadingplate 35 is swung about the coupling connection 50 so that the rail 36and the friction member 37 on the lower surface of the threading plate35 are aligned in the desired relationship to the covers of the caps 6on the moving containers 2.

Another embodiment of the cap feed is illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9.This embodiment includes an inclined cap chute 51 which feeds closurecaps to the moving containers in a similar manner to cap chute 5. Aleveling plate 52 is mounted on the lower end of the cap chute 51 in asimilar manner to the leveling plate 8 on pivotally connected mountingarm 53 and plate 52 functions to level each of the closures with respectto the moving container top and to thereafter drop the levelled closuredownwardly onto the container top. In order to hold the closure againstthe lower surface of the leveling plate 52 a round horseshoe magnet 54is mounted on leveling plate 52. On either side of the horseshoe magnettwo elongated bar-type horseshoe magnets 55 are provided to furthersupport each closure. As illustrated in FIG. 8 each of the bar horseshoemagnets 55 extend beyond the magnet 54 in the direction of the closuretravel. This causes the bar horseshoe magnets to engage each closure atopposite outer portions of its top after the closure is moved free ofthe horseshoe magnet 54. Since the bar magnets 55 engage only the outerportions of the closure, the closure will be moved free of the barmagnets without any magnetic holding force on the rear end of theclosures permitting the closure to drop downwardly onto the container ina level position. As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9, an elongated rubberinsert 56 is provided on the lower surface of the leveling plate 52 toprovide an off-center friction drag on each closure cap as it is movedalong the lower surface of the leveling plate 52. This drag bar 56provides a slight reverse cap rotation to prevent any permanent cockingof the caps in the final sealing due to an unintentional initialengagement between some of the closure lugs and the container threadswith the closure in a cocked position. Anti-friction runner inserts 57and 58 are provided in the center of the bar magnets 55 to facilitatethe movement of the closure along the lower surface of the levelingplate 52. As illustrated in FIG. 9 the anti-friction insert 58 has itslower surface above the bottom of the friction drag 56 to permit theeffective operation of the friction drag 56 while it is in contact withthe closure top.

The vertical position of the leveling plate 52 is set by the adjustingscrew 76 which engages the extension '71 of the plate mounting arm 53adjacent its pivotal connection 72 on pivot pin 75. An upward movementof the mounting arm 53 and the leveling plate 52 is provided by therotation of the mounting arm 53 about the pivot pin 75 against theyieldable bias spring 73. The movement permitted plate 52 by thisarrangement facilitates the initial engagement between the levelingplate 52 and the closure and also permits an adjusting leveling actionto be applied :to the closures as they move along the lower surface ofthe leveling plate 52.

A pivotally mounted cap guide finger 74 is also mounted at the lower endof chute 51 on the pivot pin 75. The curved lower surface 76 of thefinger 74 is disposed centrally of the 1m 'er end of the cap chute 51and it lightly engages the covers of each of the closures being drawnout of the end of the cap chute 51 under the light spring force of thespring 77. The lower position of the finger 74 is set by the adjustingscrew 78.

A cap threading plate 59 is mounted beyond the leveling plate 52 in thedirection of the container travel. This cap threading plate 59 isgenerally similar to the above described threading plate 35, however, itis mounted directly on the end of the cap chute 51 independently of thecap leveling plate 52 by the mounting arm 60. The mounting arm 61 ispivotally connected at 61 to the cap chute 51 to permit upward motion ofthe cap threading plate 59. A spring 62 fitted between bracket 64 andthe central portion 65 of the threading plate mounting arm 69resiliently urges the cap threading plate 59 downwardly against theclosure tops while the friction rail 66 and the anti-friction rail 67cooperate to provide an initial cap rotation to cause an initial lightengagement between the lugs or threads of the closure and the lugs orthreads on the container finish. The cap threading plate 59 is connectedto its mounting arm 60 by means of the bolt 68 in slot 69. Slot 69permits both the angle and the horizontal position of the cap threadingplate 59 to be adjusted for the particular closure and container beingsealed.

The operation of the cap feed illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6 will nowbe summarized by following the movement of a container 2 and itscorresponding cap 6 as the container moves beneath the cap feed 3 on theconveyor 1. The closure cap 6 is placed in position to engage the movingcontainer 2 by being inserted into the channel 7 of the inclined chute5. The lowermost closure 6 is positioned by the resilient detent wheels12 at the lower end of the chute 5 so that its forward and lowermostportion engages the top 4 of a container 2 being moved beneath the capfeed 3 by conveyor 1. In this container engaging position, the parallelrails 11 of the cap chute 5 engage a rearward portion of the closure andthe front portion of the closure is supported by magnets on the levelingplate 8. As the container 2 engages closure 6 it draws it past theresiliently mounted detent wheels 12 so that the closure 6 movesoutwardly of the chute 5 into telescoping relationship with the top ofthe container 2 with its cover portion being held by magnets 15 againstthe lower surface of the plate 8. The lower surface 25 of the yiel dablymounted finger 22 lightly engages the cap cover as the cap is drawn fromthe chute to guide the cap into engagement with the curved leading edge18 of the leveling plate 8. In this position the cover of the closure 6is held upwardly against the generally horizontal rails 19 of theleveling plate 8 as the moving container 2 slides the closure along thebottom of the leveling plate 8. At this point the threads of the closure6 are spaced upwardly from the uppermost portions of the containerthreads so that they are not in engagement. The continuous movement ofthe container 2, and closure 6, to the point illustrated by the closure21 in FIG. 2 moves the closure beyond the furthermost magnets on theleveling plate 8 and the closure now drops clear of the leveling plate 8downwandly onto the container 2 with its lugs or threads resting oncorresponding lugs or threads of the container 2. Since the cap isdropped with its cover in a horizontal position and since each of thecap lugs or threads engages a similar portion of the coiitainer top, thecap will continue to be seated in a level position on the container top.The moving container 2 now carries the cap 6 into engagement with thecap threading plate 35. As the cap 6 slides along the smooth metal rail36 on the plate 35 an opposite olf-center portion is frictionallyengaged by the downward projecting teeth 33 of the friction member 37.The teeth 38 retard this portion of the cap so that the cap is twistedlightly into an initial engagement with the threads of the container.The downwand movement of the cap as it rotates is compensated for by theincreasing downward length of the friction teeth 38 so that the rotatingforce remains applied to the cap and so that the tendency of the plate35 to tilt the cap 6 is eliminated. Vertical movement of the entireplate 35 to compensate for the cap position during the twistingoperation is also provided by the slidably mounted posts 39 and 40. Asthe container 2 passes beyond the threading plate 35 the closure 6occupies a level position on the top of the container 2 with its threadsor lugs turned into light threaded engagement with the cooperating lugsor threads of the container 2 so that the subsequent cap sealingrotation necessary to provide. final con tainer sealing may be appliedwithout causing the cap 6 to cock or tilt or to be otherwise damaged.

The embodiment of the cap chute illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9operates in a generally similar manner, however, an additional reverserotational operation is provided by the off-center friction drag 56 onthe cap leveling plate 52. This reverse rotation disengages any portionsof the threads which may have become accidentally engaged in a cockedposition in the initial contact between the container and the closure. Apreliminary cocked alignment between the closure lugs or a portion ofthe closure thread and the container threads may cause a final defectivesealing of the closure cap on the container.

Also in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9 an upwardlyswinging accommodation is provided for the closure threading plate 59 asit rotated on the relatively long mounting arm 60 in place of thegenerally vertical upward sliding movement of the closure threadingplate 35.

In both the embodiment of the cap chute illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6and the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9 an additional noveland effective operating action is provided during the cap application bythe resilient cap stops or detents located at the bottom of the chute.In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 6 these are the two detent wheels12, each mounted at the end of the pivotal arm 16. The primary functionof these detents 12 is to releasably hold the lowermost cap in thebottom of the cap chute and to permit this cap to be drawn from the capchute by the top of the container 2 being moved beneath the chute asillustrated in FIG. 1. As the cap is drawn past the detent wheels 12 thearms 16 swing outwardly permitting passage of the cap. This initialspreading of the detent wheels provides a backward pressure on the capto draw it against the top of the container as the closure is drawndownwardly onto the container top. Thereafter as the detent wheels 12move past the widest portion of the cap it will be seen that the springforce drawing the arms 16 together will change to a forwardly directedmovement which will tend to snap the cap forwardly on the container top.

This successive backward and forward movement tends to move the capsdownwardly into position with the lugs in a preliminary sealing positionbeneath the container lugs or threads. This movement, therefore,minimizes the amount of sealing rotation required to tightly seal thecap onto the container.

The same successive backward and forward movements are also provided inthe embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9 by the detent wheelsmounted on the pivotal mounting arms 81 and this arrangement operates inthe above described manner to aid in the initial sealing of the closureon the container with the closure and container threads in position forthe rotational sealing action.

-It will be seen that an improved closure cap feed has been providedwherein the closure caps are fed rapidly and smoothly onto the tops ofmoving containers and wherein the caps are quickly leveled and movedinto light initial engagement with the container without tilting orcocking on the container threads.

The closure feeding means provides for exact closure control during theapplying action and also provides for rapid closure feed while at thesame time being relatively simple in design and being easily adjustedand maintained for high speed closure application and for continuoushigh speed trouble-free sealing machine runs.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangementof the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to beunderstood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrativeand not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A screw applicator comprising the combination of an inclined capchute, a leveling plate pivotally mounted on the end of said cap chute,a cap supporting magnet on said leveling plate adjacent the end of saidchute adapted to hold a cap against said leveling plate, a verticallyyieldable cap twisting plate mounted beyond said leveling plate, anelongated friction member on the bot tom of said cap twisting plate, anda pair of spaced magnets on said leveling plate positioned beyond saidcap supporting magnet on opposite sides of said leveling plate wherebythey engage edge portions of the cap and thereby release the cap inlevel position when the cap is moved beyond said pair of magnets.

2. The applicator as claimed in claim 1 in which a friction drag memberis mounted on an off-center portion 'of said leveling plate whereby eachcap is initially rotated in such a direction as to disengage it from thecontainer threads.

3. The applicator as claimed in claim 1 in which said friction membercomprises a plurality of separate teeth.

4. The applicator as claimed in claim 3 in which said teeth have asuccessively increasing length downwardly from the twisting plate.

5. A screw cap applicator for applying caps to containers on a movingconveyor comprising the combination of an inclined cap chute, a levelingplate pivotally mounted on the end of said cap chute, a cap supportingmagnet on said leveling plate adjacent the end of said chute adapted tohold a cap against said leveling plate, a vertically yieldable captwisting plate mounted beyond said leveling plate, an elongated frictionmember on the bottom of said cap twisting plate positioned to engageoff-center portions of caps on the moving conveyor, and a friction dragmember mounted on an off-center portion of said leveling plate wherebyeach cap is initially rotated in such a direction as to disengage itfrom the container threads.

6. In a sealing machine wherein containers are carried therethrough on aconveyor a cap applicator comprising the combination of an inclined capchute having its lower end positioned above said conveyor to present acap in telescoping relationship to the top of each container carriedbeneath it on the conveyor, a leveling plate pivotally mounted on saidchute having a generally level lower surface portion positioned toengage caps on the containers, a curved cap guide between said chute andsaid leveling plate, a magnet on said leveling plate to hold capsagainst the lower surface portion to level them on the containers, avertically yieldable cap twisting plate mounted beyond said levelingplate at a height so that its bottom engages caps on the containersmoving on the conveyor, the bottom of said twisting plate including asmooth rail positioned to engage an off-center portion of the closuretop and an elongated friction member positioned to engage an oppositeoff-center portion of the cap cover to twist the cap on said container,and said friction member having a plurality of teeth with successivelydecreasing spacing from the conveyor in the direction of containertravel.

7. In a sealing machine wherein containers are carried therethrough on aconveyor a cap applicator comprising the combination of an inclined capchute having its lower end positioned above said conveyor to present acap in telescoping relationship to the top of each container carriedbeneath it on the conveyor, a leveling plate pivotally mounted on saidchute having a generally level lower surface portion positioned toengage caps on the containers, a curved cap guide between said chute andsaid leveling plate, a magnet on said level ing plate to hold capsagainst the lower surface portion to level them on the containers, avertically yieldable cap twisting plate mounted beyond said levelingplate at a height so that its bottom engages caps on the con tainersmoving on the conveyor, the bottom of said twisting plate including asmooth rail positioned to engage an off-center portion of the closuretop and an elongated friction member positioned to engage an oppositeoffcenter portion of the cap cover to twist the cap on said container,and a friction drag member mounted on an otf-center portion of saidleveling plate whereby each cap is initially rotated in such a directionas to disengage it from the container threads.

8. In a sealing machine wherein containers are carried therethrough on aconveyor a cap applicator comprising the combination of an inclined capchute having its lower end positioned above said conveyor to present acap in telescoping relationship to the top of each container carriedbeneath it on the conveyor, a leveling plate pivotally mounted on saidchute having a generally level lower surface portion positioned toengage caps on the containers, a curved cap guide between said chute andsaid leveling plate, a magnet on said leveling plate to hold capsagainst the lower surface portion to level them on the containers, avertically yieldable cap twisting plate mounted beyond said levelingplate at a height so that its bottom engages caps on the containersmoving on the conveyor, the bottom of said twisting plate including asmooth rail positioned to engage an off-center portion of the closuretop and an elongated friction member positioned to engage an oppositeoff-center portion of the cap cover to twist the cap on said container,and a pair of spaced resilient cap engaging detents at said levelingplate adapted to slide each cap successively backward and forward in agenerally level position on the container top as the cap is drawn out ofsaid chute by a moving container.

9. A screw cap applicator for applying caps to containers on a movingconveyor comprising the combination of an inclined cap chute, avertically yieldable leveling plate mounted at the end of said capchute, a cap supporting magnet at said leveling plate adapted to hold acap against said leveling plate, a vertically yieldable cap twistingplate mounted beyond said leveling plate, an elongated friction memberon an off-center portion of the bottom of said cap twisting platepositioned to engage ofi-center portions of caps on the moving conveyor,and an anti-friction member mounted on an opposite offcenter portion ofsaid twisting plate whereby each cap is pressed down and rotated by saidmembers in such a direction as to engage it with the container threads.

10. A screw cap applicator for applying caps to containers on a movingconveyor comprising the combination of an inclined cap chute, avertically yieldable leveling plate mounted at the end of said capchute, a cap supporting magnet at said leveling plate adapted to hold acap against said leveling plate, a vertically yieldable cap twistingplate mounted beyond said leveling plate, an elongated friction memberon the bottom of said cap twisting plate positioned to engage off-centerportions of caps on the moving conveyor, and a friction drag membermounted on an ofi-center portion of said leveling plate whereby each capis initially rotated in such a direction as to disengage it from thecontainer threads.

11. A screw cap applicator for applying caps to containers on a movingconveyor comprising the combination of an inclined cap chute having itslower end positioned above said conveyor for presenting a cap intelescoping relationship to the top of a container on said conveyor, avertically yieldable leveling plate mounted at the end of said capchute, a cap supporting magnet at said leveling plate adapted to hold acap against said leveling plate, a vertically yieldable cap twistingplate mounted beyond said leveling plate, an elongated friction memberon the bottom of said cap twisting plate positioned to engage off-centerportions of caps on the moving conveyor, and a pair of spaced resilientcap engaging detents at said leveling plate for engaging and slidingeach cap successively backward and forward on the container top as thecap is drawn past the detents on the container top.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS StoverDec. 12, 1961 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPatent No 3,071,909 January 8, 1?

Earl W. Elleman It is hereby certified that error appears in the abovenumbered pat ent requiring correctionend that the-said Letters Patentshould read as corrected below.

Column 7, line l5 and column 8, lines '26, 40 and 56, for "conveyor",each occurrence, read containers Signed and sealedthis 27th-day ofAugust 1963,

(SEAL) Attestz' ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD .7 r Cemmissioner ofPaten Attesting Officer

1. A SCREW APPLICATOR COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF AN INCLINED CAPCHUTE, A LEVELING PLATE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE END OF SAID CAP CHUTE,A CAP SUPPORTING MAGNET ON SAID LEVELING PLATE ADJACENT THE END OF SAIDCHUTE ADAPTED TO HOLD A CAP AGAINST SAID LEVELING PLATE, A VERTICALLYYIELDABLE CAP TWISTING PLATE MOUNTED BEYOND SAID LEVELING PLATE, ANELONGATED FRICTION MEMBER ON THE BOTTOM OF SAID CAP TWISTING PLATE, ANDA PAIR OF SPACED MAGNETS ON SAID LEVELING PLATE POSITIONED BEYOND SAIDCAP SUPPORTING MAGNET ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID LEVELING PLATE WHEREBYTHEY ENGAGE EDGE PORTIONS OF THE CAP AND THEREBY RELEASE THE CAP INLEVEL POSITION WHEN THE CAP IS MOVED BEYOND SAID PAIR OF MAGNETS.